IS Claims Responsibility for Red Sea Resort Attack

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the shooting that killed a police officer and a soldier on the outskirts of Cairo on Saturday. The attack happened a day after suspected militants wounded three European tourists in a Red Sea resort.

For a country with tourism as one of its crucial economic source, the spiraling violence has hit Egypt badly ever since the ousting of former President Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou said the government would provide additional security arrangements to ensure the safety of tourists. The wounded in Friday’s attacks include two Austrians and a Swede in the resort of Hurghada.

“The welfare of the tourists visiting Egypt is of the greatest importance to us and will continue to be so. No stone will be left unturned to ensure their security, over the coming days we will announce even greater security measures to safeguard all tourists visiting Egypt,” Mr. Zaazou said.

According to security sources, the attackers have landed through sea and also carried a gun and a suicide belt. One of the assailants has been identified as a student from the Cairo suburb of Giza. Egypt is fighting a wave of Islamist militancy against security forces, which started in the remote regions of the Sinai but is increasingly spreading to the capital and to Red Sea beaches.